It was the weapon no one wanted, until it fell into the wrong hands. It blasted its way into history as the favorite of history's most infamous gangsters.

The Thompson submachine gun was the most powerful, fastest-shooting weapon of its time. Built for the military and the police, they resisted the new gun, preferring to stay with ones they were familiar with. Soon, though, they learned to regret their decision, for the "Tommy Gun" proved its worth in the hands of men like Al Capone.

TOMMY GUN is the definitive video history of this historic weapon. Retired FBI agent John Wallace remembers what it was like to face down criminals armed with this overpowering weapon. Author Tracie Hill, the world's leading expert on the Tommy Gun, reveals why it was snubbed by law enforcement and embraced by criminals. And film clips and real-life footage speak of the mystique and power that surrounded the weapon that helped put the roar into the '20s.